Army Act amendment: COAS tenure extension can't be challenged in court

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet meeting on Thursday approved a draft bill for making amendments in the Army Act over the directives of the Supreme Court (SC), ARY News report.

The amended law is likely to be tabled in the upcoming session of the National Assembly after opposition holds consultations with opposition parties.

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According to a copy of the Army Act amendment bill available with ARY News, the future extension in the tenure of an army chief will not be challenged in any court of law.

The bill states that the legislation shall be called the “Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act, 2020”.

According to a bill, the appointment, reappointment or extension of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) “shall not be called into question before any court on any ground whatsoever.”

According to an amendment, the appointment of chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will also be added to the Act and anyone from the remaining services can become CJCSC.

Sources said that the maximum age limit of all four services chief will be 64 years.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak met with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to seek support for the draft bill for amendments in Army Act in order to give a three-year extension to Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa).

Talking to the delegation, Bilawal underscored the need to follow democratic process while making amendments to the Army Act.

Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, later on, took to Twitter saying that he and his party were looking forward to playing a positive role in the legislative process with regards to ‘army act’.

The ruling political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had contacted the leadership of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) to seek support for the draft bill for amendment in Army Act for giving a provision to extend tenure of Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Sources had said that the government had contacted JUI-F to gain its confidence over the amendment in the Army Act. The sources had added that a delegation of PTI lawmakers will also contact Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

It is pertinent to mention here that Supreme Court had granted a six-month extension to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa in his service tenure in its short verdict announced on November 28.

On December 16, the Supreme Court (SC) had issued a 43-page written verdict in a case related to the extension of the army chief.

Later on December 26, a review petition had been filed by the federal government against the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) in Chief of Army Staff (COAS) extension case.